The cool breeze rushed past Alix's face in a pleasant rhythm, easing the buried tension in her shoulders. Placing her hands on the railing, she perked her ears to concentrate on the gentle ripples of the waves dancing to the tune of the wind. She closed her eyes, the view of the river fading away into darkness. She stood in that stillness till a soft whisper echoed somewhere.
"Thank you."
In that empty void of her thoughts, a flickering apparition of a woman materialized before her. She looked exactly like her except the sorrowful smile that her lips held.
Alix was taken aback for a moment, for she had not expected her to come before her. She thought she was gone.
"Thank you for what?"
"For everything. It's hard to begin and hard to end. I am in your debt for so many things. For telling the truth to my parents. I think they deserved to know that I…am no more."
Alix said nothing.
"Thank you for not telling Mui. She doesn't deserve to bear this burden."
